Subjective Employees Objective Results: Applying Management Theory in an Engineering World
This online engineering PDH course translates over a century of management science into a practical, engineer-friendly guide for leading teams in high-stakes technical environments.
Many engineers assume that technical expertise alone is enough to ensure project success. As roles expand from individual contribution to leadership, performance increasingly depends on managing motivation, morale, fairness, and team dynamics, factors that do not behave like predictable engineering systems.
This course acts as a comprehensive guide to applying management theory in real engineering contexts. It draws from foundational works such as Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management and Henry Ford’s assembly-line revolution, and connects them to modern frameworks including Maslow’s Hierarchy, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the Pygmalion Effect, and Parkinson’s Law.
Moreover, this course includes real-world examples from design-build projects, site supervision, and interdisciplinary teams, along with practical tools such as psychological safety checklists, goal-setting frameworks (QQT: Quality, Quantity, Time), equity diagnostics, and strategies to counter schedule overruns caused by work expansion.
This course concludes by focusing on how engineers can improve team performance, align expectations, and deliver results under tight constraints while successfully transitioning into leadership roles.
This 4 PDH online course is designed for project engineers, project managers, as well as other technical professionals seeking to apply management theory in a practical, results-driven way.
This PE continuing education course is intended to provide you with the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Understanding productivity shifts using Hawthorne insights and leveraging attention and belonging to improve team output
- Applying Maslow Hierarchy and Self-Determination Theory to support autonomy, competence, and relatedness, driving motivation and retention
- Familiarizing yourself with Herzberg Two-Factor Theory and Equity Theory to prevent dissatisfaction and enhance motivation through fairness and recognition
- Understanding how to set clear, challenging goals with Goal-Setting Theory and controlling work expansion through effective scheduling strategies
- Leveraging the Pygmalion Effect by setting high expectations to drive confidence and performance
In this professional engineering CEU course, you need to review the course document titled, "Subjective Employees Objective Results: Applying Management Theory in an Engineering World", prepared by Richard Grimes.
To view, print and study the course, please click on the following PDF attachment:
Once you complete your course review, you need to take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions to earn 4 PDH credits. The quiz will be based on the entire document.
Upon successful completion of the quiz, print your Certificate of Completion instantly. (Note: if you are paying by check or money order, you will be able to print it after we receive your payment.) For your convenience, we will also email it to you. Please note that you can log in to your account at any time to access and print your Certificate of Completion.